There are currently two different luggage compartment systems for aircraft cabins. There are non-movable luggage compartments (fixed bins) which take the form of a hatrack provided with a shutter facing the passengers. Alternatively, there are pivotable luggage compartments (movable bins) which take the form of a hatrack without a shutter which can be pivoted to face the passengers. All luggage compartments with a loading edge which can be moved in some way are known as “movable bins”. A fundamental aspect of a movable hatrack is that the open loading position differs from the closed position.
The component that is fixed to the fuselage in a movable hatrack is the housing which acts, inter alia, to receive the bin/storage container body itself. In this case, it is possible to dispense with a shutter because the hatrack becomes a closed box when it is pushed into the housing. The main advantage of movable hatracks is the changeable position thereof—in the closed state they offer a greater sense of space and the lowered, open position makes it possible to load and empty them comfortably.
The fuselage and the housing are connected by connecting rods which are fixed between aircraft-side and housing-side fittings. The housing and the hatrack are directly connected by rotary supports or roller-guided rail systems, it being possible for the housing and the hatrack to be connected to form a pre-installed module.
An example of a movable bin which is pre-installed in a housing box as a hatrack module is disclosed in DE 10 2007 030331 A1 and WO 2009/003945 A1.